Andre Chiefs

Melrose, MA- The Lexington Blue Sox used a couple of three run innings, then held off a Chiefs rally in the bottom of the seventh inning, to take the series opener 6-4 on Sunday night at Morelli Field.  

The Blue Sox took a 3-0 lead in the top of the first against Mitchell Clegg. Ross Curley led off with a single, and two outs later Julian Alvarez reached on a chopping bad hop single to Mike Barbati at second that put runners on the corners. Jeff Vigurs and Dorian Rojas then both drew walks that forced in Curley for a 1-0 Lexington lead. Alex Voitik then gave the Blue Sox a 3-0 lead when he dropped a single into right that scored Alvarez and Vigurs.

The Chiefs cut the lead to 3-1 in the bottom of the first when Tony Serino and Tony Deshler both singled to put runners on the corners. The Blue Sox traded a run for a couple of outs when Ryan Filipwoicz got Billy Mottram to bounce into 6-4-3 doupleplay with Serino scoring.

After a scoreless second inning, the Chiefs tied the game in the bottom of the third. Serino reached on an one out infield single and went to second on an errant throw. Deshler pushed Serino to third with a fly to right and he scored when Mottram hit a slicing double down the leftfield line. Peter Copa tied the game at 3-3 when he reached on an error by Rojas at first that scored Mottram. Jordan Pallazola was then hit by a Filipwoicz pitch but the game stayed tied when Steve Gamable grounded out on the first pitch he saw.

The game didn't stay tied for long as the Blue Sox reclaimed a three lead in the top of the fourth. Singles from Josh Hassell, Taylor Ferguson, Vigurs, and Rojas, and a double by Curley, put the score at 6-3 heading to the bottom of the fourth.

Five consecutive scoreless half innings followed. Clegg blanked the Blue Sox in the fifth and sixth and Tim Dunphy did the same in the top of the seventh. Rob DiFranco came on for Filipwoicz and held the Chiefs scoreless in the bottom of the sixth.

The Chiefs began to make things interesting after DiFranco got the first two outs in the bottom of the seventh. Deshler worked a walk and Mottram reached on an error by Curley at short.  Copa then cut the lead to 6-4 when he drilled a single to center that scored Deshler. Jeff Blount came on to relieve DiFranco and Mike DiCato pinch ran for Copa, representing the tying run. Pallazola then went after Blount's first pitch and hit a towering fly to Ferguson in center that retired the side and put the opener into the Lexington column.

Chiefs Chatter.....Game Two is scheduled for Morelli Field on Monday night at 8:00 PM....The Chiefs got some tough news early Sunday when it was announced the slugger Juan Portes was done for the season with a fractured wrist. Portes was hit by a pitch in the first inning of Thursday's Game Five 3-0 win vs. Reading....
Ian Roberts for Intercity League Baseball
Statistics- Bruce Hack & Pointstreak.com
Boxscore at www.intercityleaguebaseball.com